Tuesday, February 13

Your Seattle Renton SuperSonics

Numbers 1-10 in the top ten fun things to do in Renton: Visit Jimi's grave.

It's official: The new (imaginary) home of the Seattle SuperSonics is . . . RENTON! (Unless the state legislators decide to use the tax revenue for stupid crap like schools, health care, etc.)

OLYMPIA - The Seattle Sonics want to build a new $500 million arena in Renton.

New owner Clay Bennett on Tuesday told state lawmakers that the arena would be an economic stimulus for an up-and-coming city.

Bennett said the team expects a $300 million contribution from the state. Off the roughly $200 million balance needed to complete the project, Bennett said the team expects to "be responsible for private contributions in the range of $100 million." As for the the team's commitment, Bennett said, "The first committment is a $350 million purchase of the team and a commitment to keep the team in the region."

Half a billion dollars. For a basketball arena. In Renton. Good luck with that.

Does anyone think Bennett is even the least bit serious about this? Maybe I'm just a cynical old bastard (maybe?), but it seems like Big Boy is submitting these ridiculous plans that have no chance of being completed just to fulfill the "good faith effort" portion of his contract.

Believe me, if Clay Stadium gets built, I will be there on opening night with everyone else, getting my picture taken alongside the giant Shawn Kemp statue outside the front gate. But I don't trust Bennett any more than I can throw him. Which, given his tremendous girth and my complete lack of any sort of physical strength, isn't very far.

Talk about a picture being worth a 1,000 words ... I'd give anything for a shot of those 3 watching the action. I wonder what Petro and Gelabale are going to tell their friends back home about the USA.

I'm sure everyone who supports the Sonics will be on a high today, with all the possibilities of a new arena, NHL team, final fours, tractor pulls, et al associated with yesterday's events in Olympia. But before you get too lathered up, keep these quotes in mind (from Sean Cockerham of the TNT):

“Nobody in my caucus has come to me and said, ‘Please save the Sonics.’” - House Speaker Frank Chopp, Seattle

Bennett went before the Ways & Means Committee yesterday, a committee led by a woman (M. Prentice) who is from the very city in which he intends to build a new stadium, giving her more than a small conflict of interest in supporting the arena. It's patently obvious that Prentice muzzled her committee members (Bennett only received one question from the committee, and it was a softball regarding the team's future competitiveness) so as to provide Bennett and the Sonics with a few days of good press. I honestly think this arena has little or no chance of getting through the government process, and I don't think that would trouble Bennett one whit.

Glancing through the various forums today, the opposite appears to be the case. Hardly any activity. There seems to be a pall over the city. It seems that Sonics supporters have a better grasp on the situation than you'll give them credit for.

The anonymous guy before me is right; I don't think stadium supporters are dancing in the street. It's a long road to go, and this is just one small step towards the finish. People are happier today because there is some sort of tangible goal in place, but to say they're on a high would be inaccurate.